10_Things_I_Hate_About_You

10 Things I Hate About You – Bianca Stratford Cicely Alderson-Hughes English Essay G16 ‘In the Republic of Mediocrity, genius is dangerous’1. Thus the force behind every shallow, perfect, popular. Survival. Bianca Stratford at a glance is the epitome of all that is perfect and right with the high school world; pretty, popular, “deep”. But beyond the Sketchers and the Prada backpack what is she really – the personification of shallow' Or a desperate victim trapped in the ‘Republic of Mediocrity’ forced to conform to fit in – to survive' Bianca Stratford is the embodiment of popularity, frivolity and strategically placed sun dresses. Everything about her invites the viewer to embrace her stereotype. The bouncy, blonde bob, the soft pale skin even the cutesy, light coloured clothes scream hey ‘I happen to like being adored thank you’2. However despite this, there is something endearing about Bianca’s need to be free. Her yearning to lessen her strictly imposed boundaries creates empathy within the viewer. Consequently when her father enforces the rule “Bianca can date – when Kat does” 3 the viewer is over come with sympathy that Bianca is stuck with a dissident sister. A probable reasoning for this is that irrespective of Bianca’s undoubtedly vapid and conceited nature it is clear that she poses somewhat of a relatable situation. Along with this, Bianca is also the kind of person that it seems everyone knows someone who is like her. Irrespective of how that person is perceived, the stereotype Bianca portrays can be easily associated with countless people with the same nature – The blonde bimbo/key player in the ‘Republic of Mediocrity’. However in spite of her popularity it is inevitable that thoughts are turned to why Bianca became the shallow person that she is. Obviously behind her Barbie façade there is more than just the persona she depicts. Bianca and Katerina’s mother having left while they where young is obviously a contributing factor to Bianca’s insipid character. It is hard not to come to the conclusion that involves this as part of a reason for her shallow ‘look at me, look at me’4 personality. Another distinctive and contributing factor in Bianca’s conformity is her family’s insistence at protecting her from the world, even to the extent of protecting her from experiencing anything – especially that of an average teenage girl. Thus when she is paid extra attention by her pursuers - Joey and Cameron - she becomes manipulative in her quest to find just that ounce of teenage normalcy in her captivity. Therefore even with her Machiavellian attitude towards her predicament her response is reasonable because of her desolate situation and her desperation to survive in the ‘Republic of Mediocrity’. ‘Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative’5 and at the very least Bianca was consistent in her ignorance. While Kat strives to do exactly what is not expected of her, Bianca aspires to be exactly what society wants her to be. Although it was obvious to the audience that as the film progressed so did Bianca’s ability to empathise and understand her sister. Also her attitude towards her pursuers was to begin with adverse; she ultimately grew with the film and chose the decent guy. At times it was clear Bianca was aware of just how her peers perceived her – ‘with out’6. – Though it seemed there were intervals the viewer caught glimpses of recognition at her own stereotypical guise. However she was more than reluctant to change this of course as although Bianca gives off an inane, dense quality, she is but a strong player in this ‘Republic of Mediocrity’ that is under the pretence of her high school (Padua High). So how does one survive in the mediocre Republic' They conform, they feign, they do what they must to survive and run from the danger that is genius in modern society. So can Bianca really be accused of being the pretty, popular she portrays. Or is her desperate conformity simply a plea to be free of her prison and experience just a bit of the life so promised to the youth of today and yet still so far away for Bianca. The simple fact is Bianca is more than simply a stereotype, perhaps not quite as profound or intelligent as her sister but even then maybe she is. In fact maybe she is even more so because ‘In the Republic of Mediocrity, genius is dangerous.’ 1- Robert Green Ingersoll 2- Bianca Stratford 3- Mr Stratford 4- Bianca Stratford 5- Oscar Wilde 6- Patrick Verona